Mary Calkins, Victoria Welby, and the spatialization of time

This paper explores a trans-Atlantic clash about time: in 1899, American philosopher Mary Calkins argued we should not spatialize time; British Victoria Welby should. I take their disagreement as starting point to contextualize, study, and compare the accounts of time presented respective articles. Both cared deeply time, writing on topic across careers, but views have been studied by historians philosophy. is unfortunate, for argue novel theories reward attention. Calkins’ 1899 account draws Kant arrive at earliest American-British causal theory pioneers metaphysical applications temporal experimental psychology, replies F. H. Bradley’s proclamation that it ‘impossible’ explain appearance time. Meanwhile, read Welby’s 1907 offering radical metaphysic, which literally kind space, resonating with 1880s literature around ‘fourth dimension’ G. Wells’ 1895 The Time Machine. uncovered an early draft dating 1902 and, using this alongside other unstudied writings Welby, trace development her from onwards.